The Cholesterol Numbers Doctors Should Be Measuring

Many doctors, including cardiologists, look at all the wrong numbers when it comes to cholesterol. If your cholesterol is over 220 mg/dl they get worried—if it’s over 300 mg/dl they panic. Then, they put you on statin drugs to bring down the “bad” LDL cholesterol and to help raise the “good” HDL cholesterol.

• Not all HDL cholesterol is “good.” There are two subtypes of HDL cholesterol. HDL-2 is large, buoyant, and helps to protect against heart disease. Meanwhile, HDL-3 particles are small, dense and not as protective as HDL-2. You want more HDL-2 particles than HDL-3.

• Not all LDL cholesterol is “bad.” As with HDL cholesterol, there are several subtypes of LDL cholesterol. You can have high LDL cholesterol, but if it’s mostly LDL-A which is a buoyant, fluffy molecule it’s absolutely harmless unless it’s oxidized. On the other hand, if much or your cholesterol is LDL-B, that’s cause for concern. That’s because LDL-B is small and dense and can contribute to hardening of the arteries.

• It’s also critical to know another number which most cholesterol tests don’t measure—Lp(a). This is a small, dense and highly inflammatory type of cholesterol that can damage blood vessels. It can also make your blood “sticky” and cause a buildup of arterial plaque.

• If your HDL and/or LDL subtypes need improvement, I recommend a combination of the PAM diet, nutritional supplements, and exercise. 

• If your Lp(a) is high my top recommendation to neutralize it is by taking 1-3 g of niacin daily. I also recommend fish or squid oil (1 or 2 g daily) and either one of two natural clot-busting enzyme supplements, nattokinase (50 mg twice a day) or lumbrokinase, also known as Boluoke (200 mg one to two times daily).

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